January 20, 2014

Do you ever miss those early years at school when you couldn't wait to open your lunchbox and eat all the goodies within? I do! While lunchboxes remain one of the most useful containers on the planet (and kid friendly of course!) the majority of us graduate to using our various stock of reusable bags to transport food and other on-the-go items. Luckily, lunchboxes have been revived and beautified by artist, Lulie Wallace out of Charleston, SC. With brightly printed floral designs inspired by her original paintings, I would proudly carry any one of these fancy (and double-sided!) lunchboxes around town ... so useful and pretty! Check out all the flowery eye candy!

January 08, 2014

ink & peat is thrilled to introduce Blackbird's sophisticated new line of incense and perfumes into our own collection of fragrances! The long beloved Seattle-based brand recently launched their own apothecary line and we're loving their array of signature dark notes. Inspired by the tundra, their Hibernus incense carries notes of birch, honey, and amber. The perfumes smell amazing, too! Other scents include tinderbox, marzipan, frankincense, precious resins, spice, and cedar - that's enough to keep us warm all winter!

December 08, 2013

I was having a nice cup of tea last night, ready to gather a few ideas for the holidays, when I was suddenly (and ever so willingly) beguiled by a swirling sea of vintage photographs of Pauline de Rothschild's Parisian apartment. Without a doubt, Rothschild's taste in decor is the stuff that chinoiserie dreams are made of - not to mention her perfect set of cerulean velvet-covered chairs (pictured below.) There's something so inviting about sitting in a blue chair to rest or write or draw...or stare at photos of Pauline de Rothschild's impeccable sense of style all night long!

October 22, 2013

Bold, bright, and orange! The Hermes silk
scarf made it famous, Frank Sinatra coined it as “the happiest color,” and it
remains a darling of design. This year, orange has found it’s way into our
hearts through the ever-inspiring mix of décor and citrus. With Halloween just
around the corner, we’re celebrating the color,
craft, and feast of orange.

Tarnished silver, orange peel, and wood grain. We find a perfect balance between the exquisite and the fragrant in this centerpiece by lifestyle photographer Nicole Franzen.

Must have: this gorgeous stack of orange scarves in plaid and hounds tooth prints. We’ll take one of each, please!

The fragrant work of peeling citrus fruits brightens our
senses as we anticipate all the ways we can enjoy them. What to do with all
that left over peel? This
colorful photo inspired us to discover how versatile (and sweet) the orange
really is.

July 03, 2012

How fun are these pieces from Orla Kiely? The leaf jacquard towel would brighten up any modern bath. Hmmm....where would I go for lunch with gals in this mustard wool suiting pocket dress and structured rosemary bag? I think it might involve an Arnold Palmer...

September 28, 2011

Last night my sister reminded me of this fabulous line we had heard about while shopping in San Francisco last spring. Warby Parker is a great line of designer eyeglasses that are vintage inspired. I want to be clear - these are designer PRESCRIPTION glasses or sunglasses for $95! They have a great selection, including a monocle, and will send you 5 pairs to try on for free with return shipping free also. And if that's not great enough, Warby Parker donates glasses to those in need. I think I might try the Mabel, how about you?

October 11, 2010

The weather changed yesterday in the Northwest - no questiuon it is Fall. Makes me long for bulky cozy sweaters and pots of tea. I ran into a collegue of mine from my past life in fashion design and was so thrilled to see she has just launched this beautiful line of sweaters. Helen Sharp uses modern, clean, and timeless shapes for this collection. "The woolen yarn for this collection comes from an ancestral ranch in Oregon, Imperial Stock Ranch. It is 100% un-dyed wool giving it a softer hand feel than its dyed counterparts. Each piece is made in Seattle on hand framed knitting machines creating work locally and reviving interest in this once popular craft." The perfect antidote for a chilly fall day!

June 16, 2010

Having been a textile designer, I always appreciate a line that is driven by great patterns. And I love seeing kids in little kurtas and white cotton with ethnic prints in the summer. Look at these adorable outfits by Rikshaw Design. You can read more about founder and designer Catherine Fitzsimmons on her blog here.

June 07, 2010

April 12, 2010

Have you seen this new line by Land's End called Canvas? It is a hipper, more contemporary version of the line, still with classic inspiration but modernized. Here are a few style pics from the new site and some of my fav picks from the collection. You can also read the blog here.